“Yes.”
Jade broke the biscuits into cat-sized pieces and placed them on my plate. I nibbled daintily before giving in to my greed and wolfing them down. The treat was a nice distraction from the discomfort in my abdomen.
When I’d sipped my tea and eaten my fill of biscuits, he took them away to keep my nest clean and tidy. Not that there was much point. It continued to infuriate me with its imperfection.
“Still not to your liking?” Jade asked, reading my mind as usual.
“No,” I grumbled. “This egg is due any day now, and my nest isn’t right. I’m so angry I could eat ten more biscuits.”
A knock at the door drew our attention.
“Who is it?” I snapped. “I’m busy trying to lay an egg!”
A stoic, familiar voice replied: “Taylor.”
My tail flicked thoughtfully. He had feline sensibilities. He wouldn’t bother me unless it was important.
“Come in,” I called.
Taylor let himself in. He held a medium pastel-colored box in his hands. Immediately, my curiosity was piqued.
I sat up, whiskers twitching. “What is that?”
“Your tune changed pretty quick,” Taylor remarked. Before I could think of a sassy comeback, he placed the box in front of me. “Here, Alaric. It’s for you.”
I blinked at the box with rounded eyes. “For... me?”
“That’s what I said, didn’t I?” Taylor nodded towards the gift. “Open it.”
Cats couldn’t resist boxes, and I was no exception. My heart raced with excitement as I pushed the lid off with my paws. A thin layer of baby-blue tissue paper blocked my path, so I tore it out with my teeth. What could possibly be inside?
Once the way was clear, I gasped. I wasn’t often speechless, but Taylor’s gift had me at a loss for words.
Inside the box was a beautiful handmade quilt. The fabrics were pastel shades of cream, blue, and green. The top layer had a geometric repeating pattern of two prominent figures: a green dragon, and a white cat.
“Oh, Taylor,” Jade murmured, reaching for the quilt. “How magnificent. You made this?”
Taylor scratched the back of his head. “Yeah. I know Alaric was having trouble with his nest, so I thought it might help. I got a little carried away with the applique designs,” he mumbled.
As Jade spread the quilt over the bed, I couldn’t stop staring at it. Emotion gripped my chest. I felt like I was about to cry. Again.
“Taylor...” My voice quivered. “You made this forme?”
He offered me a half-grin. “Well, it’s for Jade, too. And your baby, obviously.”
I pawed at the quilt, bundling it closer to me. The fabric was gentle against my fur, and every stitch was lovingly sewn.
And that’s when it hit me—this was the missing piece of my nest.
Relief washed over me and I sighed, cozying up in the quilt’s warmth. I couldn’t believe Taylor’s generosity and kindness. He’d been my biggest rival on the first season of the Dragonfate Games. I’d cursed his every win, his every victory, thinking of them as my own personal failures. But I knew it was inevitable. Crimson washisfated mate.
Even though we’d grown and moved past that rivalry, I still couldn’t believe Taylor would pour his heart into such a beautiful gift.
“Oh no,” Taylor said with a dry chuckle. “He’s crying again.”
“Shut the hell up, you overgrown tabby,” I snapped, tears pouring down my cheeks.
Jade smiled and wiped them away. “Thank you, Taylor. It means a lot to both of us. Even though Alaric has a unique way of showing it.”
